While well located to Times Square and theaters, we were disappointed in our dining experience. I felt rushed by our waiter and overall service was indifferent. The food was overpriced for the quality, including a $38 bottle of ordinary sparkling water. I would not recommend. read more

Went in Mercato for a late but a light dinner. The bread and lentil/olive dip were absolutely wonderful. I ordered the caperse salad and the quality of the cheese was great, the tomatoes could have been more ripe but still enjoyed it a lot, just delicious I wish there was more basil on it. I didn't try any of the main entrees so no comments there. The service was great and everyone was very helpful. read more

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Meatballs are to die for and come with garlic bread which was yumm! Prosciutto and Burrata are fresh and delicious! Olives are pitted and large with a wide variety. Comes with complimentary bread and dipping sauce. I must come back! read more

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Just go and you will have no regrets!! Very small place so you will get to know your neighbors!! The food was outstanding and you didn't leave hungry either. We go back year after year - when we leave the Jacob Javits Center during the auto show. read more

Food was very good. Menu included typical and authentic foods of Southern Italy. Tasty and good portion size, not skimpy. Service was very good. Water glasses were filled without asking. Ambiance is rustic. Decorations include antique tools. Bathroom is spacious and clean. read more

Quality Italian pasta and desserts. Everything was fresh and tasted good - almond pasta was pretty unique but not rich in flavor and taste due to its nature, panna cotta was excellent. Prices were reasonable and my only suggestion is to include some oil with take out orders (for bread). read more

This place is go to spot when I want to spend about 30-50 m$ on lunch. There hasn't been an item I don't like. I recommend the sage ravioli, then again I recommend everything. The lighting is a deep hue, especially if you sit towards the back with no windows but it's cozy. They will bring you bread and a lentil spread to begin, as an appetizer I like to get the octopus on orange lentil purée. read more

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Decent Italian by Port Authority with close, cozy seating in a dimly-lit space and solid service. It was a Friday during Lent so we only had the vegetarian and seafood dishes but overall it's a solid option. Some highlights: 1. Fettuccine Funghi: Garlic and olive oil tossed with fettuccine and roasted mushrooms. This was light and the mushrooms were savory and flavorful. The pasta was definitely more al dente than what I prefer but overall solid. 2. Cod with tomato and olive jus: Served alongside thin-sliced potatoes. Very light and the cod itself was tender. Good if you are looking for something lighter vs hearty. 3. Bread with EVOO and lentils: I actually asked for a 2nd bread basket as the dip was excellent. The bread was very fresh and soft which was a definite plus but the dip was the best part. Drinks are solid as well with a nice selection of wines and cocktails. Overall, it's a solid option in the area. It does get busy during peak dinner hours so I would highly recommend making a reservation. We were lucky in that we showed up at 8:30 pm with no reservation and they were able to seat us right away! read more

Great Italian restaurant. Had the meatballs as appetizer - really good red sauce, one of the best in the city. I had the gnocchi with ragu sauce and I preferred the red sauce with the meatballs. The tiramisu was standard but overall an excellent meal. Highly recommend it! read more

Hidden italian gem near Port Authority/Hell's Kitchen. This is one of those restaurants that remind you why you love italian food. Small and cozy indoors, almost cave-like. They have availability in the back for a bigger group but it's ideal for smaller groups. So many pasta options! Fettuccine, tortellini, ravioli, gnocchi and some homemade options. One of the more popular dishes seemed to be the wild boar ragu. We ordered the wild boar ragu, gnocchi, and seafood linguini and calamari. Food came out fresh, hot and in about twenty minutes. Calamari: big portion, lightly crusted and a solid dish. Pastas: delicious and fresh! Al dente and not too chewy. The sauces were flavorful and the portions were just right. My favorite was definitely the wild boar ragu. The meat was tender and the pasta wasn't drenched in sauce. Average price - pastas are around $20. Hard to stumble upon here but great find. read more

I was going to a friends birthday around this area and my bf and I were looking for something to eat. Mercato was on the top of the list! I love Italian food. If I could choose a cuisine to eat for the rest of my life it would definitely be Italian food. We went on a Friday night without reservations which seemed like a bad mistake but we only ended up waiting 20 minutes. There wasn't a lot of space to wait on the inside especially with all the waiters walking around with hot dishes so you might find yourself waiting outside. Mercato's space itself seems small when you walk in but they have a lot more tables in the back. We ended up sitting in the front. They have a full bar as well and a lot of people seemed to be getting cocktails. My bf and I ended up gettin a bottle of rosé which I enjoyed. Originally, we were going to get an appetizer to split and 2 entrees but we ended up getting 3 entree and splitting everything. With the amount that we were hungry that ended up being perfect. We ordered the "malloreddus al sumo di cinghiale" which comes with braised wile boar ragu. This was really hearty and the ragu was so tasty! This was perfect on a cold rainy day which is when we went. My favorite was the "ravioli di ricotta e spinach al burro e salvia. This is cooked in a sage butter sauce which made it so delicious! Although, the portion for the ravioli was kind of small as you can see in the picture it was so good! The last entree was one of their specials which was a lamb leg. This portion was huge! I kind of wish they told us the prices of the specials when they were saying that but that's fine. Most (or all?) of the pastas are homemade and you can really taste that. Once you start making your own pasta there's really no going back. If I ever find myself in hells kitchen I'm definitely going back to Mercato. I will say that since the place is so jam packed it's hard flagging someone to refill your water. And the water glass they give you is so small! Before I actually ordered a women walking out told us to order the lasagna which was to die for. So, I guess I know what I'll order next! read more

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I like dining out while raining. I romanticized rain because where I live, we don't get rain much. It's the worst California wild fire and we have no rain onsite. On Monday morning I flew out to New York, only to find a friend from San Francisco was also landing around the same time. We went out for dinner together in Manhattan because after all, what do you do when it's raining and you are out in a busy city where no one sleeps? This reminded me a typical Italian restaurant you'd find in North Beach, where he used to live and where we used to go out to eat often. We had originally picked a restaurant that opened until 4 am, but our ambition was overthrown by the rain, and that he did not bring a winter jacket. The restaurant is less than 0.1 mile away from the hotel and it's your typical New York Italian restaurant. Bill itself as homey Italian, it has a lot of great pasta to choose from. The salad and sardines are good, and he also ordered a beef stew and a pasta which was perfect because we liked the same things and it would have been the exact order I placed. The service was fast and easy. The other night I had a dream. I had dreamed that we were back to North Beach where we were dining out at a restaurant and sleeping in while the rain used to come down, before the drought hit us, back when we were both young, and when I woke up I realized it was this restaurant and that raining night, not in San Francisco, but in New York, that appeared in my dream. read more

Ever had a meal that wasn't going so great for the food or the ambiance or the place itself, but the company was all bleh? Ok well, I focused on my food and had some wonderful fried shrimp and calamari with a fresh tomato sauce for the side. The bread with olive oil & lentils was a nice touch too! After that load of Italian awesomeness I had the Pesci de Mare (Cioppino in SF) stew. This was an opus of deliciousness too. I had a perfectly tended Negroni cocktail and a Glass of Italian Montepulciano wine to pair with my wonderful stew. I chose wisely... read more

Service was good in the beginning but once our entrees arrived no one ever came to check on how the food was. We also needed another round of wine and that was overlooked so missed additional alcohol sale on their part. My Ravioli ricotta was bland but my husband's Cod dish, Merluzzo, was excellent. Also, our bottle of Panna still water was brought to the table already opened :(. read more

Transcend to the Old World. Rustic, exposed brick, textured and rough cement floor, copper/metal bar - it's intimate, and gains romantic momentum as the day darkens to night, allowing the dim lights to act as candles. [http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Ve6GVzzJpR5QIIPdcn6ViQ?select=OWEDk2wEQXP1Rme_cxc6WA#v2BGFSEIVxCe5rURz5PYDw] Warm, friendly, and authentically served by true Italians. Fabriani and Ada--both fun, talkative, friendly, and sweet. The whole experience felt as if I was invited to their grandmother's house for dinner (except of course, they charged me for it). The kitchen is open late (11pm+), and the bar even later (1am+). Any place that says "If we have customers, we even stay later"...gets extra bonus points in my book. Food-- 1. One of the best lasagnas I've ever had. Super thin and fresh lasagna pasta, with a tasty and flavorful meat sauce, topped with bechamel, and mozzarella. Highly recommend! [http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Ve6GVzzJpR5QIIPdcn6ViQ?select=OWEDk2wEQXP1Rme_cxc6WA#0XBGvXMD1rhC7iu_Ei1mCg] 2. Meatball appetizer: 5-6 donut-hole size meatballs. Tender and finely ground meat, and served in a smoky and tasty marinara. 3. Eggplant Caponata - chunks of eggplant, tomatoes, and tons of onions and garlic. Quite oily, but delish on their sliced bread and/or tostini. [http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Ve6GVzzJpR5QIIPdcn6ViQ?select=OWEDk2wEQXP1Rme_cxc6WA#OWEDk2wEQXP1Rme_cxc6WA] 4. Broccoli Rabe - garlic, olive oil, and tender. Always good, anywhere. 5. Mercato Burger - smoky and that wonderful charbroiled flavor, very good quality beef, a fresh bun (dare I say "brioche" in an Italian place?), with grilled mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, and fontina cheese. [http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Ve6GVzzJpR5QIIPdcn6ViQ?select=OWEDk2wEQXP1Rme_cxc6WA#x9EGA-W0-H_V5joGsydsug] It's not touristy (huge bonus), even though it's located just a few blocks from Times Square, Penn station, and port authority, its across the street from a Holiday Inn Express, Candlewood Suites, and The Element (Westin). A wine cellar in the back room, with a handful of tables takes up a notch further. [http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Ve6GVzzJpR5QIIPdcn6ViQ?select=OWEDk2wEQXP1Rme_cxc6WA#rzpHyWQVfpwTkXkt0wGWRQ] The prices are very reasonable ($10-22), and a place I could easily call home should I ever move back to NY. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Ve6GVzzJpR5QIIPdcn6ViQ?select=OWEDk2wEQXP1Rme_cxc6WA#CQUiL5_5oLuuxluRHZLRQQ read more

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A lot of restaurants & food places come and go really fast in this area, so jump if you want to try them out. Our group of four was here recently for a Sunday lunch. Mercato is a very rustic looking place that opens up into a much larger space out back. How rustic is it? Our table made from reclaimed wood had a hole in it. It's still a great place for a weekend lunch or middle of the week intimate dinner date. We started with the Octopus, Potatoes & EVOO, which had good depth of flavor, along with a nice Caprese salad of fresh mozzarella, basil, roma tomatoes & balsamic. The pasta was simply so fresh tasting with a nice al dente chew! We had the Linguini Frutti di Mare, Lasagna Tradizionale, Gnocchi with beef & pork ragu and the pasta special of the day, Rigatoni with beef shortrib ragu. The linguini looked like it was loaded with seafood, which I'll have to try next time. At first, I thought my gnocchi portion looked small in the bowl, but like gnocchi usually is, it is very filling and the sauce was extremely meaty. read more

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My favorite Italian restaurant! Super cozy and the food is always spot on! Their complimentary lentil dip is out of this world. Everything on the menu is amazing! Definitely worth a check if you want a restaurant away from all the tourists read more

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Came here tonight for a quick dinner because my friend was feeling Italian so we Yelped a place closeby. The ambience of the restaurant was nice and cozy and intimate. I saw a mixture of families and couples all engaged in conversation so there was on going chatter but it wasn't super loud by any means. I ordered the lasagna with meat ragu sauce and she got the fettuccini with mushrooms, garlic, and olive oil. The lasagna was very delicious but the texture was a lot softer than the typical kind I've had. I think I like it slightly firmer but overall it was still very good. My friend really liked her fettuccini especially because the noodles were soft and homemade. We ended our meal with a recommended dessert, the vanilla custard panna cotta. It was the perfect amount, not too sweet or heavy and very tasty. I would definitely recommended this! read more

Mercato - Vanilla custard panna cotta - delicious! - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Excellent food. Real Italian eatery. Food was fresh and delightful and the dessert were amazing. The employees were very attentive and courteous. Awesome atmosphere. read more

This was a great dining experience. Our party of four stayed near Times square. We were able to walk here in 10 minutes. If you dont look for it you will pass it up. We are so glad Thatcher came here. The food and the service were great. We often come to a more "touristy" Italian restaurant, but my goodness this reminded me of food that I had in Italy! Worth a try if you are in NYC and want authentic Italian cuisine! read more

The service was attentive without being intrusive. The servers had personality and were pleasant. The initial table offered to be seated at was not particularly desirable--fortunately it was early in the evening so another table for 2 was avaiable. I heartily welcomed the 2nd table. The seating throughout the dining areas is rather cramped and the restaurant was quite busy. The growing number of diners increased and elevated the noise factor significantly. I had difficulty hearing my dinner partner's conversation throughout our meal. I also felt that one had to shout at their dining partner just to be heard. The serving of gnoochi I selected appeared to be on the smaller side while my dining partner's pasta serving seemed a bit more generous. We both enjoyed our respective pastas along with the broccoli rabe which we shared. Our bottle of malbec wine from Argentina went nicely with the food. The price of the malbec was fair. The wine list offers plenty of selections if pricing of the bottles of wine is not a factor. Rounded up on the star rating--would like to have given a 3-1/2 stars. For me, I will have to think hard as to whether I would return to this restaurant given the noise factor and the cramped eating area. read more

Crowded, cheery and convivial would describe this Italian place with its tin ceiling and shelves displaying oils, products (I beleiive they sell) and Nonna's old good company China Good crusty bread was served with olive oil with lentils which made for a unique and tasty combo! My app of buratta on diced tomatoes was simple, fresh and tasty, it would have benefitted from just a little something however- maybe toasted breadcrumbs. I mean I can plop some burratta on some diced tomatos at home. I got out for just a little elevated experience from what i can get at home. I had the homemade cavatelli with old boar rage. The sauce needed some spice though the definitely home made pasta was nicely toothsome. It was fine, again a our like a decent home chef could make. I had the almond and pistachio semfreddo for dessert and it was fine but just a bit too cold. All in all, a good meal, but not a great one. I've definitely had better food. I've made better food myself at home. The waiter however was excellent and the whole staff paid attention to cleaning plates, wiping the table, refilling water and such quite handily. read more

Mercato - Cavitelli with Wild boar Ragu - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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3.5 stars would do more justice Fettuccine-4 stars Rigatoni- 3 stars- a bit oily and more eggplants and tomato sauce than pasta Ravioli- 4 stars, 5 pieces 20$ though. Dessert was the best part- forgot to take a picture but it was 3 pieces of chocolate kind cookies, fresh and not very sweet. Overall not bad but expected more based on yelp reviews. read more

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My pasta was very good, and the prices were not atrocious. However, the service was poor enough that it overshadowed the rest of my experience. I went there for an early dinner with my parents, and most of the tables in the restaurant were empty. Despite this, the staff consistently made us feel rushed, hovering around the table, and going as far as asking us to pay the bill before our main course arrived. I left feeling perplexed, and that the experience could've easily been much better than it was. read more

Made our way to this establishment as it was around the corner from our hotel. We didn't have reservations but they were able to seat us. I would recommend making reservations as they are very busy. Location is small so tables are very close together (common in NY though). You're definitely in other people conversations. It's impossible to have a private conversation. Service is okay- nothing to rave about. Our server was very scarce and not very approachable/friendly. The meatball appetizer was delicious but very VERY small for the price. The lasagna was also very flavorful but small. The gnocchi was okay. Not my favorite and I wouldn't order it again. Portions are very small here even for the main dishes like the lasagna. So do not come starving as you will not get full, place is pricey but flavor is there. Just wish the service was there as well. read more

What a great find. We honestly came here just because it was within a 5 minute walk from our hotel. We were cold, tired, and as usual, craving Italian. Boy was this place a beautiful discovery. The inside ambiance is really cool,like a dark upscale restaurant. It's totally unexpected from the shabby outside appearance. The servers weren't super attentive, but that was fine because they were timely, and our food was delicious. The hubby's lasagna was PERFECTION, the best lasagna we have had in a while. And we eat a lot of lasagna. My gnocci was delightful as well, and very meaty. Both our dishes were bursting with flavors in every bite. Easily one of our favorite restaurants in the area, well worth the Michelin mention! Oh, and the bean sauce thing that was served with our bread was super delicious! read more

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The food was very good but the service was okay at best. We ordered the Lasagna and Seafood Linguine. The linguine was packed with proteins and the pasta tastes fresh. The lasagna tasted like its recipe had been passed on and perfected in a family for generations. We had to ask the server for bread and refills on water. Also felt a little rushed and did not receive the attentive service you'd expect from a restaurant. Mercato needs to work on its customer service to be a standout restaurant. read more

Mercato - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Great food, nice service. The pasta Norma was perfect and everything well priced. I hate having to find restaurants near Penn station and finally...a good one! read more

Anytime I'm back in Manhatten I will remember to stop by Mercato. The bartender was amazingly accommodating and every was very friendly. They have a great selection of authentic Italian food and wine. I stumbled upon this place at random and couldn't be happier. As I said, excellent wine selection, wonderful service, open late, accommodating of large crowds, and all while keeping a home like atmosphere and very small footprint. read more

Mercato - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Very 50/50 on this place. The host was very kind and nice and I also enjoyed the bartender while waiting for my friend to arrive. However once we were seated service was not ideal. Our waiter was clearly running many tables which I understand but it took a really long time to get attention to order and pay and we usually had to flag someone down. Once our food was served, he asked if we wanted Parmesan and we said yes but it never came. We waited 10 min and then gave up and just ate. We also never got our water refilled (they use tiny cups). I do however think the food was delicious. The lentil oil and bread were yummy and the fettuccine al funghi was amazing and tasted homemade and fresh. The Pink Gin Fizz was also good. The food is worth it if the service is a little better. read more

Mercato - Fettuccine Ai Funghi - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Wonderful Traditional Italian fare tucked away in Times Square area. The visible restaurants on Broadway or 8th are overrated. This is a quaint place that you won't find unless you go looking. But it is a hidden gem serving authentic, Italian dishes in a traditional setting. Loved all the courses, and you can't go wrong with any dish. Highly recommend if you want great Italian food and a delightful culinary experience. read more

Mercato - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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A lil pricey and cozy but the food and homemade pasta was delicious. We especially loved the pistachio dessert!

Amazing food and very attentive service! Will definitely be back!! We ordered the calamari, shrimp and cod app -- would def recommend. Chrissy and perfect salted. Came out popping hot which was delightfully tasty. The drinks we well priced and wine was perfect chilled. The special, lamb chops, was a nice portion and so delightfully seasoned! 5 stars! read more

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I was excited to try Mercato because it was rated so well here on Yelp, however the food was bland and nothing special. The seating was tight, which is expected in the city, but the chairs were uncomfortable and we were seating against the wall with not enough elbow room. We had the burrata to start which was good. I had the linguine with mushrooms and while it wasn't bad, I could have made something better at home. It was overpriced for what it was and we felt cramped and rushed. read more

Excellent Italian food and service. The meatballs and sea bream are fantastic. The service is efficient

Love the place, great atmosphere, staff super friendly and helpful, accommodated our off menu requests, and off course the food was unbelievable, best Italian in town!! Five Star service and food. read more

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Classic feeling Italian restaurant right next to our hotel. If there's anything I'm learning about New York City, it's that you can never tell a place from how it looks on the street, we walked in (no wait!) and they threaded us through the server lane to the back of the restaurant where it opens up to a beautiful room of patrons enjoying the food with lively chatter. The food was fantastic, we went for 3 courses (ravioli was a hit) and try the pistachio ice cream. Under $100 total, but don't come here for the price... come here for the NY experience. read more

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Love the ambience and service. Food is well presented but not to my taste palate. Among us we ordered the steak, seafood linguine, wild boar pasta, the almond pasta and the funghi pasta. (I apologize for not using the other names, I will spell them incorrectly.) Recommend the seafood pasta and the steak, best dishes in our opinion. The fingerling potatoes that came with the steak were so crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The seafood pasta had a huge variety of seafood and very well seasoned. The main complaint was the lack of taste to the other dishes, but that is just our preference. I am glad we were able to try this restaurant out. The ambience is wonderful compares to a bigger venue such as Carmines. read more

Walked in on time with 5:30 reservation place is not full, seat us 6 inches from the server station with dirty dishes..asked if our 4 top could move, they said no..So time to find another restaurant. read more

Very quaint Italian restaurant, great food and wine selection. Attentive service. Absolutely recommend.